2015 Porsche Macan price and details revealed

The Porsche Macan won’t be officially unveiled until November’s LA Motor Show, but the first technical details of the mid-size SUV have been leaked, along with pictures taken from its test-drive expeditions.

Two six-cylinder turbos will be offered at launch, sources say. First is the basic Macan, priced at $52,000 and powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V-6 that debuted within the 2014 Porsche Panamera S, and the second is the Turbo version priced at $75,000 and which will feature a 3.6-litre engine.

The compact SUV has been photographed doing some quick laps around the Nürburgring race track with camouflage stickers placed on the front and rear light clusters and the side window extensions.

Porsche’s seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission operates on all four wheels and the Turbo version sports four squared-off exhaust tips which are a virtual clone of those found on Porsche’s alternative ‘Turbo’ models, such as the 911 Turbo and Panamera Turbo. Overall, while the automobile closely imitates the Cayenne, but with smaller, tighter, and even sportier proportions.

The smaller, cheaper Macan provides Porsche with a hot ticket to entering the ultra-hot luxury-crossover section and is anticipated to be quite lucrative for Porsche.

The German carmaker just announced the expansion of its workforce in Leipzig by over 1,000 employees for the production of the new Macan models. Porsche’s Leipzig plant is growing and gearing up for production of the new Porsche Macan.

For more than seven months, architects and building experts have been working flat out on expanding the production site. It is the biggest building project in Porsche’s history, which is investing a total of €500m ($676m) in the construction of a body assembly line and a paint shop.

When addressing the mid-year results, Lutz Meschke, chief financial officer of Porsche, underscored the earning power of the company, which was reflected in an 18 percent rise in sales.